Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2020, published 109th ILC session (2021)

Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) - Suriname (Ratification: 2006)

Articles 3(a) and 5 of the Convention. Trafficking, monitoring mechanisms and the application of the Convention in practice. In its previous comments, the Committee noted the national penal provisions concerning the worst forms of child labour. It also noted the Government’s reference to measures taken by the Interdepartmental Working Group on Trafficking in Persons, including the investigation and prosecution policy on criminal networks of child trafficking, and the training of district commissioners, immigration officials, and labour inspectors in recognizing victims of trafficking.

In this respect, the Committee notes the Government’s indication in its report that the National Committee for the Elimination of Child Labour is undertaking awareness-raising activities on the prohibition of all forms of child labour and the reporting mechanisms of suspected cases, and that the National Committee collaborates with several institutions, including the labour inspectorate and the police. It further notes the Government’s indication that, in the period between August 2016 and August 2019, a total of eight cases of human trafficking were investigated by the Trafficking in Persons Department, with seven children (that is, minors) being identified as victims of sexual exploitation. The Government adds that in this respect, 23 suspects were arrested and the corresponding files sent to the Public Prosecution Service. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the number and nature of violations reported, and investigations and prosecutions undertaken concerning trafficking in children. The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on the convictions and penalties imposed, including in respect of the 23 suspects who were arrested and whose cases have been sent to the Public Prosecution Service.

Article 3(d). Hazardous work in the informal economy. Labour inspectorate. In its previous comments, the Committee noted the increasing prevalence of child labour in the informal economy, in particular the small-scale goldmining sector. It noted the Government’s indication that inspections and supervision of working conditions in the informal economy would be considered in a broader approach including measures to collaborate with other relevant enforcement bodies, such as the police.

The Committee notes the Government’s indication, in response to its request, that the labour inspectorate may inspect all areas where some form of economic activity is ongoing, but that it is difficult for labour inspectors to detect child labour in the informal economy in view of the remote areas where instances of child labour occur, and the hidden nature of the phenomenon. In this respect, the Committee also recalls that it noted, in its comment on the application of the Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81) published in 2019, that the labour inspectorate lacked sufficient qualified personnel and transport facilities to be present in the hinterland of the country. In this respect, it notes from the information provided in the Government’s 2019 report on the application of Convention No. 81, that steps are being taken to fill the vacant positions in the labour inspectorate and to improve the transport facilities of the labour inspectorate, and that training on child labour was provided to labour inspectors. In this context, the Committee also notes from the information in the 2017 Child Labour Survey, as referenced in the Government’s report, that approximately 2.2 per cent of the total number of children are involved in child labour with approximately 1.6 per cent to be found in hazardous work (page xviii). The Committee also notes from that Survey that children mainly work in the agriculture, forestry, hunting and fishery industries (44.9 per cent) (page xiii). Referring to its comments under Convention No. 81, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on the progress made concerning the increase in the number of labour inspectors and the improvement in the transport facilities available at the labour inspectorate, and the impact on the improved capacity of labour inspectors to identify and address hazardous work by children in the informal economy. It requests the Government to provide information on the activities undertaken by the labour inspectorate, where applicable, in collaboration with other enforcement bodies, in the area of hazardous child labour (including the number of labour inspections carried out, the number and nature of cases detected and any follow-up measures taken).

Article 7(2). Effective and time-bound measures. Clause (a). Prevent the engagement of children in the worst forms of child labour. Access to free basic education. In its previous comments, the Committee noted the various measures taken by the Government to improve access to basic education, including the waiving of the enrolment fees for primary and secondary education and the Government’s indication that proposals for compulsory secondary education (for the age group of 12–16 years) would be made by the end of 2016.

The Committee notes the Government’s indication, in response to its request to improve access to education, that the Ministry of Education continues to be in the process of drafting legislation for the improvement of the system of education. In this regard, the Committee also notes from the 2017 Child Labour Survey as referenced by the Government, that only primary education is compulsory (corresponding to the compulsory school age from 7 and 12), and that work is currently being undertaken on aligning the age of entry to work and the compulsory school age (page 7). The Committee also notes the 2016 concluding observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC/C/SUR/CO/3-4), which refer to a number of issues in the education system, particularly in the interior areas of the country, including: low primary school completion rates and low retention rates at the secondary level; the lack of schools in some remote districts; and barriers to accessing education by children from low-income families, including fees for school materials (paragraph 34). The Committee also notes from the statistics provided on the website of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) that in 2018, the net enrolment rate of children in primary education was 86.03 per cent, and that in 2015 (latest available information), the net enrolment rate at the secondary level was 57.79 per cent. Considering that education is key in preventing the engagement of children in the worst forms of child labour, the Committee once again urges the Government to strengthen its efforts to improve the functioning of the education system, in particular to increase the school enrolment, attendance and completion rates at the secondary level.

Clause (b). Direct assistance for the removal of children from the worst forms of child labour and for their rehabilitation and social integration. Child victims of trafficking. In its previous comments, the Committee noted that Suriname is a destination, source and transit country for child victims of trafficking and working as commercial sex workers. It noted the Government’s reference, among other things, to measures for child victims of trafficking, including the establishment of a shelter, and to the provision of services and protection by the Ministry of Justice and Police. The Committee noted, however, that the Human Rights Committee, in its 2015 concluding observations, expressed concern at the difficulties of the victims of trafficking in receiving access to effective protection, shelter and reparation (CCPR/C/SUR/CO/3, paragraph 29).

The Committee notes the Government’s indication, in response to its request, that an improved referral system between the criminal law enforcement authorities and the social services for cases of child labour had been implemented, and was in the testing phase between August 2019 and February 2020. The Government indicates that this system is hoped to improve the identification, handling and remediation of cases of child labour. The Government also indicates that all child victims of trafficking and prostitution identified during the reporting period were provided with protection and support by the Unit on Trafficking in Persons within the Ministry of Justice and Police after removal from the situation. In this respect, the Committee also notes that the Committee on the Rights of the Child, in its 2016 concluding observations (CRC/C/SUR/CO/3-4), calls, among other things, for: (i) the adequate staffing and funding of child protection agencies; (ii) the upgrading of the existing shelter and opening of additional shelters for child victims of sexual abuse; and (iii) the development of programmes and policies for the prevention, recovery and social reintegration of child victims (paragraph 21). The Committee also notes that the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, in its 2018 concluding observations (CEDAW/C/SUR/CO/4-6) indicates that there is a lack of information on the shelters available to women and girls who are victims of trafficking and the types of programmes and health services provided by those shelters (paragraph 28). The Committee requests the Government to provide more detailed information on the services provided for child victims of trafficking, including their rehabilitation and social integration (such as the nature of assistance and support provided to child victims, the impact of the new referral system, and the operation of the shelter(s) provided). It requests the Government to continue to provide information on the number of child victims of trafficking who have been removed from the worst forms of child labour and benefited from such services.